1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to needle capping systems and, more particularly, pertains to a one-hand needle capping system.
2. Description of Related Art
The art is generally cognizant of needle capping systems which utilize a variety of mechanisms for protecting medical personnel from accidental needlesticks and for removing caps from syringe needles. Representative prior art in the field of needle capping systems is included below.
T. A. Gillilan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,149, discloses a resilient shield assembly for use in engaging a protective sheath releasably mounted on a syringe needle assembly.
R. A. Nelson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,488, teaches a hypodermic syringe needle guard in the form of a cylindrical cap which slides over the needle, having a manipulating device to remove and replace the needle guard.
J. W. Villaveces, U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,844, discloses a frustro-conical hollow member supported by a backing plate.
M. F. Levenson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,698, teaches another tubular member extending from a base member at a predetermined angle constituting a device for removing and replacing needle covers on syringes.
S. E. Wade et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,945, discloses a syringe needle protector and remover designed for three different standard needle cap shapes.
These needle recapping systems fail to optimally meet the needs of medical personnel. Today's medical care often entails the use of syringes or other piercing devices for introducing medication into the body of a patient or for withdrawing fluids for analysis. Accordingly, the medical practitioner or those in the practitioner's assisting staff are often exposed to the risk of inadvertent injury, a risk of substantial consequence in the case of treatment of contagious diseases. Hypodermic needles of the type used for injections or for drawing blood samples generally include a removable protective cover or cap which protects the needle and helps to keep it sterile in storage until used. It has become a conventional medical procedure to replace the cap on a used, "contaminated" needle ("recap") to prevent accidental needlesticks. Unfortunately, no device for eliminating the risk of needlesticks during recapping which is simple, free of complex mechanisms, able to hold protective caps of different sizes, and able to hold protective caps at varying angles, is known. Furthermore, the art is devoid of a needle recapping system embodying the above features which is also safe, easy to assemble, renewable, inexpensive, virtually without mechanical parts subject to wear, and does not require modification of the hypodermic needle and cap itself.